Artist Statement

Artist Statement

I paint because an image can say what words sometimes can’t. Not because I can’t speak or write — but because I believe a painting reaches people differently. It speaks to something deeper.

My work is rooted in who I am: a Hispanic woman with strong beliefs in family and social justice, and a culture shaped by a complicated history.

I came to painting late. I always loved to draw — my school notes were full of sketches — but it wasn’t until just before I retired that I got serious about it. I took workshops, bought way too many books, and set up a little easel at home. Every spare moment became a chance to paint. Some people journal; I paint.

After retirement, I had time to ask a question I’d been putting off: what story do I most need to tell?

That question led me back to my roots. My parents are Puerto Rican. I grew up between two worlds — on the island I wasn’t Puerto Rican enough, and back on the mainland I wasn’t really a New Yorker either. The gringa/nuyorican thing. As I dug into that history, I found stories that had been buried or rewritten. I decided I wanted to paint them.

I work in acrylics on wood panels. I love bold color — it suits the stories I’m telling.